Building covering



May 4, 193 7. E; R. BLACK BUILDING COVERING Filed Oct. 10, 1932 2Sheets-Sheet 1 L Ja/azd y 4,1937. E. R. BLACK 2,078,998

- BUILDING COVERING Filed Oct. 10, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 hwi il' nmeoovimo Edward Roscoe Black, Chicago, BL, assignor to Black Systems, IncChicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application October 10, 1932,Serial No. -63'l,002

1 Claim.

My invention relates to building coverings.

More particularly it relates to coverings composed of weatherproofunitscmmonly termed shinglesarranged in vertical rows and horizontalcourses to form the outer protective and decorative covering of theroofs and side walls of buildings. Usually such units are formed fromwell known varieties of prepared sheet roofing material-such asasphaltum impregnated paper stock or felt--and when they are providedwith a protective and decorative coating of crushed .stone or otherresistant material only one surface is so covered in order to eliminateunnecessary expense.

One popular and extensively used type or variety of suchcoveringgenerally termed the Dutch lap-is, provided by laying all of theunits in each horizontal course with one side or lateral edgeoverlapping the adjacent shingle in the same course. As far as I amaware it has been the invariable custom heretofore to so overlap theadjacent shingles in the same course that the right hand portion andedge of each unit overlaps or is superposed upon the adjacent unit aright hand lap. One important and distinct objection of Dutch lap roofcoverings has been that'the roof or side wall when viewed at an anglefrom one end takes on an entirely different appearance from that assumedwhen viewed from the opposite end. Thus, for example, in looking at aroof or side wall at an angle from the right (i. e., standing at theright and looking toward the left) all of the exposed right handlateraledges of the units of all courses will clearly display theupstandingthickness of the units which, augmented by the shading effectproduced thereby, will prominently manifest the unit or shingle 4odemarcations and the roof or wall will appear to beasit actuallyis-covered by separate units or shingles. But when viewed from the otherangle (standing at the left and looking toward the right) the verticaledges of all of the units are entirely hidden-or at least the appearanceof depth or thickness of such edges is obliterated-and the entire wallor roof takes on the appearance of being composed of horizontalcontinuous strips of roofing material; that is, substantially the sameappearance as though it was composed merely of vertically overlappedroll or strip roofing. The consequence is that, say when viewed from thefront end of a building, the two sides of the roof on opposite sidesofthe ridge or opposite side walls present entirely differentappearances-that on the left having the appearance of horizontally andvertically overlapping rows and courses of individual shingles and thaton the right presenting the appearance of horizontally arrangedcontinuous strips overto its right in what, for convenience, I will termlapped only vertically. Or one side of a roof or one side wall willappear to be covered with individual shingles when it is viewed from oneend of the building but willseem to be covered by continuous strips ofroofing when viewed from the other end of the building. This differencein appearance has constituted a distinct disadvantage in the laying ofbuilding coverings according to the Dutch lap method. It is impossibleby mere reversal of units or shingles formed for a right hand lap to laythem with a left hand lap, in order to eliminate this difference inappearance, because the finish coating is only on one surface of theunits and reversal would result in part of the roof or side wallsshowing the finished or outer surfaces while other parts would show theunfinished (usually black) surfaces of the base stock or felt. 7

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an improved buildingcovering-particularly of the Dutch lap type.

Another object is to provide a building covering which, for example,when appearing on two sides of a roof or opposite side walls, willpresent the same appearance on both sides.

Another object is to provide a building covering wherein roofs'and wallsmay present the same appearance when viewedfrom either end.

Another object is to provide a building covering unit particularlyadapted for laying so as to provide the heretofore described uniformityof appearance.

Another object is to provide a unit which maybe laid with either theleft hand edge or the right hand edge exposedto produce either a lefthand lap or a right hand lap-and yet have all units show the top surfacefinish.

Another object is to provide a unit, particularly for laying inaccordance with the Dutch lap method, possessing means which'serveseither as an interlock between adjacent units in the same course or as apositive gaugefor properly positioning adjacent units in the samecourse.

:A further object is-to provide a method of laying units so as to obtainthe improved uniformity of appearance heretofore mentioned.

Another object is to provide a building covering and unit which issimple and inexpensive and more uniformly decorative than the Dutch lapmethod has heretofore been able to produce.

Other objects and advantages of my invention WllLhereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings, in which I have illustrated typicalembodiments of my invention,

Fig. 1 is an isometric view of a fragment of a roof, showing, in asomewhat exaggerated manher, how the lateral or vertical edges of allofthe shingles on both sides of the ridge are exposed when viewed fromone end of the building,

Fig. 2 shows a. fragment of a roof or side wall, how the covering unitsmay be applied to present the same appearance when viewed from eitherend,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan of a typical unit, and

Fig. 4 illustrates the laying and proper positioning of adjacent unitsin the same course or horizontal row.

In the illustrated and particularly described embodiments of myinvention the building covering units are sheets of flexibleweatherproof material-usually cut from standard varieties ofweatherproof roofing, finished on one surface with a suitable coating ofdecorative and resistant material such as crushed or flaked stone, mica,etc.- formed to constitute what is generally termed in the artindividual shingles. But the principles thereof are applicable to unitsformed in simulation of a number of shingles,such units being generallytermed multiple shingles; or as is the case of units which simulate twoshingles, twin shingles.

Fig. 1 shows an isometric view of a portion of a building roof on bothsides of the ridge. The units or shingles at the right side of ridge Xare laid in vertically overlapping courses A, B, C, D, etc., while thoseat the left of the ridge are similarly laid in courses M, N, O, P, etc.The shingles of the courses on both sides of the ridge are shown laidhorizontally overlapped to simulate the usual Dutch lap, but with thisimportant difference. Facing the ridge, the units on the right side ofthe ridge, with the exception of the first and last or terminal units ofeach course, have the right marginal edge (upper as viewed in Fig. l)overlapped by the left marginal edge of the next adjacent unit to theright in the same course, which brings the left hand edge and acontiguous portion of each unit, except that at the extremeleft--superposed upon the right hand edge and a contiguous portion ofthe unit in the same course immediately adjacent thereto at the left. Inother words the units on the right side of the ridge are laid with aleft hand lap. Thus the left lateral edge of each unit is exposed abovethe unit immediately at the left in the same course and the thickness ofthe units on this side of the roof is clearly apparent when the roof isviewed at any angle toward the left (i. e., from the bottom as viewed inFig, 1).

Facing the ridge, the units on the left side thereof, with the exceptionof the first and last or terminal units of each course, have the leftmarginal edge (upper as viewed in Fig. 1) over lapped by the rightmarginal edge of the next adjacent unit to the left in the same course,which brings the right hand edge and a contiguous portion of each unit,except that at the extreme right, superposed upon the left hand edge anda contiguous portion of the unit in the same course immediately adjacentthereto at the right. In other words the units on the left side of theridge are laid with a right hand lap. Thus the right lateral edge ofeach unit at the left of the ridge is exposed above the unit immediatelyat the right thereof in the same course and the thickness of the unitson this side of the roof is clearly apparent when the roof at the leftside of the ridge is viewed at any angle toward the right (i. e., fromthe bottom as viewed in Fig. l).

The consequence of this arrangement of units those on the right of theridge being laid with a left hand lap and those on the left of the ridgebeing laid with a right hand lap-is that either side of the roof whenviewed from the front of the building (bottom as shown in Fig 1) has onelateral edge of all of its units exposed so that the observer looks moreor less directly against the upstanding thickness of the units.- Theshadow effects produced by these exposed upstanding edges augment theappearance of depth so that both sides of the roof when viewed at anglesfrom the front of the building appear to be-as they actually are-coveredby separate or individual units or shingles laid in horizontal coursesaccording to the Dutch lap method. Of course, when viewed from the otherend or rear of the building the effects of the overlapping edges andthickness of the units are wholly or partly lost, because the observerlooks over or past rather than against them. The result is that, fromthe rear, both sides appear to be covered with vertically overlappedcontinuous strips of roofing. How ever, again both sides of the rooflook alike rather than having the appearance of being laid according todifferent methods or with different materials.

The formation .of the units whereby they may be laid according to theDutch lap method either with a right hand lap or a left hand lap andstill expose the finish surface when only one surface of the units isprovided with a finish will be hereinafter explained.

Fig. 2 illustrates one arrangement by which both sides of the roof orthe side walls of a building may be covered with units so that oppositesides when viewed from either end of the building will appear alike. Inthis arrangement the units of alternate courses are laid with the sametype of lap, i. e., either right hand lap or left hand lap. Or,explaining it differently, the units constituting adjacent courses arelaid with reverse laps, those in one course being laid with a right handlap and those in the two adjacent courses being laid with a left handlap.

As shown in the drawings, for example, the courses A, C, etc. are laidwith a right hand lap (i. e., with the right hand edge overlapping theunit immediatelyadjacent thereto at the right in the same course) whilecourses B, D, etc. are laid with a left hand lap (i. e., with the lefthand edge of each unit overlapping the unit immediately adjacent theretoat the left in the same course). With the units so disposed oppositesides of the roof or building walls appear alike when viewed from eitherend and as though covered with alternate courses of individual shinglesand strip material. Of course, instead of reversing the lap of alternatecourses the covering may be applied, with more or less the same effect,by alternating groups of two or more courses.

Fig. 3 shows a plan of one form of unit which can be laid with either aleft hand lap or a right hand lap, as desired, and which, when laidaccording to either system of lapping, provides interlocks betweenadjacent shingles in the same course so that the exposed lower righthand corner or lower left hand cornerdepending upon which lap isemployedmay be securely anchored down to the building framework withmetallic fasteningssuch as ordinary roofing nailsand yet no metal needbe exposed.

As illustrated in the drawings this unit comprises a substantiallyrectangular sheet 5 of roofing material finished on one surface onlywith a suitable resistant and decorative coating. One lateral side ofthe unit has its corners removed so as to provide a symmetricallaterally projectcorners thereof. The opposite side of the unit adjacentits edge is provided with two openings 9 and i therethrough, theseopenings being symmetrically located relative to the two lateral cornerson the side opposite the tap and its flaps. In the embodiment chosen forillustration the flaps are of substantially semi-circular shape; and thecomplementary openings are also of semi-circular shape, to provideanchorage tongues H and I2 through which a suitable fastening device,such as a nail, may be applied, as will be hereinafter explained.

The distance between the upper or lower (or either horizontal) edge ofthe unit and the adjacent horizontal edge of the tab is equal to thedistance between the corresponding edge of the unit and the base of theadjacent opening 9 or ID (or the base of the corresponding tongue II orl2). That is, the length of Y or Y' equals substantially the length Z orZ.

Likewise the distance from the vertical edges where the tab joins thebody of the unit to the adjacent point of junction of the flap and tabis slightly greater than the distance from the straight edge of the unitto the nearest point at the base of opening Sor l0. That is, the lengthof U or U is slightly greater than the length of W or W. And again thevertical length or height of the tab is substantially equal to thedistance between the bases of the openings or the tongues; that is thelength T substantially equals the distance S.

When laying such units according to the right hand lap method the tab ofeach unit lies under the straight right side of the adjacent unit to itsleft in the same course and the flap 8 of each unit projects throughfrom the rear the opening-Iil of the adjacent unit to the left in thesame course, overlying the tongue if of the unit to the left. When laidaccording to the left hand lap method the tab of each unit underlies thestraight left side of the adjacent unit to its right in the same courseand the flap i of each unit projects through from the rear the openingii of the adjacent unit to the right in the same course,

overlying the tongue H of the unit to the right. In each case thesuperposed or exposed lower comer of each unit may be anchored to thebuilding framework by a suitable fastening device, such as an ordinaryroofing nail, applied through its lower tongue; and when the flap of theadjacent unit is inserted through the proper complementary opening thenail is covered thereby and there is no exposed metal.

' Fig. 4 shows one of the steps in laying units with a right hand lapand illustrates how the nails are covered and the proper relativelocation of adjacent units in the same course is assured. In laying acourse the units are successively placed therein from left to right, theleft tabbed lateral side of each succeeding unit being inserted belowthe straight right lateral side of the preceding unit. Thus assumingthat the unit 5' has been properly positioned and anchored in placeadjacent its left edge (not shown but effected in the manner now to bedescribed) a nail I3 is driven into the underlying building frameworkthrough its tongue If. This nail firmly anchors down the lower right orexposed butt corner of the unit and, of course, is still exposed.

Now by slightly raising the upper right hand corner of unit 5', asshown, the tabbed left marginal side of the succeeding unit 5" may beeasily positioned therebehind or thereunder. And as it is thuspositioned the flap 8 of unit 5" is inserted through the opening Iii ofunit 5' from the rear to the front. When unit 5" is positioned so thatits flap is firmly seated in opening Iii of the superposed unit thelower corner of unit 5" will align with the lower corner of unit 5' andthe flap of unit 5" will project through the opening Ill adjacent theexposed butt corner of unit 5' far enough completely to cover the nailwhich was previously applied through tongue l2. The upper right cornerof unit 5' is next pushed back into place against the building. Then,with its corner I4 slightly raised,unit 5" is rotated about theconnection between its flap and the opening in unit 5' until that cornerl4 strikes the right hand edge of unit 5'. Adjacent units 5' and 5" arenow in proper relative position, corner M of unit 5" may be pushed backinto place and a suitable fastening means, such as an ordinary roofingnail, may be driven through both units 5' and 5" in the upper regionwhere they overlap and in such a location relative to the nextsucceeding higher course that the nail will be covered by the verticallyoverlapping units in the next succeeding and without removing any of thematerial.

With units made in accordance with my inven tion it is necessary tomanufacture and stock only one type of single surfaced unit in order tolay coverings with either a left hand lap or a right hand lap as may bedesired or the occasion require to produce the uniformity or likeness ofappearance heretofore discussed. Thus it is unnecessary to finish bothsides of units or to form the units difierently depending upon whetherit is necessary or desirable to lay them with a left hand lap or with aright hand lap.

Having thus illustrated and described the nature and typical embodimentsof my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by United StatesLetters Patent is as follows:

A building covering unit comprising a generally rectangular sheet offiexible weatherproof material, a tab projecting symmetrically from onelateral edge of the body of the unit, a flap projecting vertically fromeach horizontal edge of the tab, the two flaps being equally spaced fromthe adjacent edge of the body, and a pair of tongues in the body ofitheunit adjacent the edge opposite the tab, said tongues being formed byopenings through the body of the unit, the bases of the openings andtongues formed thereby being substantially in horizontal alignment withthe bases of the flaps on the tab.

EDWARD ROSCOE BLACK.

